Best Ever Molasses Cookies

Glad you asked, a little food nerdery ahead! Molasses is produced from crushed sugarcane. In a similar process to creating olive oil, the first extraction has the lightest flavor and color. While the following batches increase in color and become hardier in flavor.

• Use Dark Molasses! Light molasses does not pack the flavor punch of dark, and Black Molasses is bitter, too thick and does not allow the cookies to bake correctly.
• Use shortening! You don’t make these all the time, make them the right way. Don’t sub butter or margarine for this recipe. While butter is delicious, after years of making these cookies, shortening produces a light, fluffy beautiful cookie.
• The cookies are finished baking once the edges are set and they start to crack on top. When you remove them from the oven they will have a wet sheen on the tops, it’s normal. Take them out and allow them to sit on the sheet pan for 5 minutes, they’ll finish cooking and firm up while resting.